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EB-2 National Interest Waiver — Merits Decision

2026-01-21·DISMISSED·IN RE: 39909677

Underlying petition: DENIED · Service Center Operations (SCOPS)

Legal elements discussed — Matter of Dhanasar

Prong 1 — Substantial Merit & National Importance

FAIL

Petitioner argued: proposed endeavor has national importance

Evidence type: personal statements, business plan, expert letters

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) finding: INSUFFICIENT

the Petitioner does not provide evidence in support of these assertions.

Decision PDF, p. 4Open source PDF

Prong 2 — Well Positioned to Advance the Endeavor

FAIL

Petitioner argued: well-positioned to advance the endeavor

Evidence type: education, employment letters, recommendation letters

USCIS finding: INSUFFICIENT

she has not provided sufficient documentation that her experience and background have provided her the skills required to advance her proposed endeavor

Decision PDF, p. 6Open source PDF

Prong 3 — Balancing the Waiver's Benefits

NOT_DISCUSSED

Other findings in the decision

Findings on the underlying EB-2 classification and other issues, distinct from the three Dhanasar prongs above.

the Petitioner has not established that she holds the foreign equivalent of a U.S. academic or professional degree above that of baccalaureate

p. 3

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What this decision can’t tell you

This decision comes from a case that was denied and then appealed. Every case here is in that position — it cannot be used to estimate an overall approval rate, and it cannot predict the outcome of any individual case, including yours. USCIS officers exercise discretion on facts that are never fully captured in a written decision.

This decision turned on national importance. Describe your own work and see which decisions discussed the same issue.

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Questions this raises for your lawyer

  • On Prong 1 (substantial merit & national importance), USCIS found the petitioner's personal statements, business plan, expert letters insufficient to establish that proposed endeavor has national importance. What would make comparable evidence in my own case more persuasive?
  • On Prong 2 (well positioned to advance the endeavor), USCIS found the petitioner's education, employment letters, recommendation letters insufficient to establish that well-positioned to advance the endeavor. What would make comparable evidence in my own case more persuasive?
  • What in my own case most resembles the specific facts USCIS focused on in this decision?
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